Fix: Windows XP Choose Color Dialog Only Allows 2 Digits, Not 3

Contributed by Troy Newton  
Tagged: Windows  

This bug has to do with font sizes, display settings and XP not being “DPI Aware”. To fix this, simply modify the COMDLG32.DLL file by increasing the input box size. This modification does not cause any problems at all.

 1. Download “Resource Hacker” and install it:
    http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/
   
 2. Backup the original. Open the Run box and enter:
    xcopy C:\WINDOWS\system32\COMDLG32.DLL C:\WINDOWS\system32\COMDLG32.DLL.bak
   
 3. Run “Resource Hacker” and open:
    C:\WINDOWS\system32\COMDLG32.DLL
   
 4. Expand “Dialog”.
 
 5. Expand “CHOOSECOLOR”.
 
 6. Click on “1033″.
 
 7. In the right side, change the “18″ to “20″ (all 6)
    (, 18, 12) to (, 20, 12)

CONTROL “”, 703, EDIT, ES_LEFT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_BORDER | WS_GROUP | WS_TABSTOP, 216, 124, 18, 12
CONTROL “&Sat:”, 724, STATIC, SS_RIGHT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_GROUP, 194, 140, 20, 9
CONTROL “”, 704, EDIT, ES_LEFT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_BORDER | WS_GROUP | WS_TABSTOP, 216, 138, 18, 12
CONTROL “&Lum:”, 725, STATIC, SS_RIGHT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_GROUP, 194, 154, 20, 9
CONTROL “”, 705, EDIT, ES_LEFT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_BORDER | WS_GROUP | WS_TABSTOP, 216, 152, 18, 12
CONTROL “&Red:”, 726, STATIC, SS_RIGHT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_GROUP, 243, 126, 24, 9
CONTROL “”, 706, EDIT, ES_LEFT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_BORDER | WS_GROUP | WS_TABSTOP, 269, 124, 18, 12
CONTROL “&Green:”, 727, STATIC, SS_RIGHT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_GROUP, 243, 140, 24, 9
CONTROL “”, 707, EDIT, ES_LEFT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_BORDER | WS_GROUP | WS_TABSTOP, 269, 138, 18, 12
CONTROL “Bl&ue:”, 728, STATIC, SS_RIGHT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_GROUP, 243, 154, 24, 9
CONTROL “”, 708, EDIT, ES_LEFT | WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_BORDER | WS_GROUP | WS_TABSTOP, 269, 152, 18, 12

 (If your numbers are different just increase your
  number that’s in the same place as 18 above by 2)

 8. Click on “Compile Script”, at top.
 
 9. Select “File->Save As” and save to “C:\COMDLG32.DLL”

10. Now you need to swap the file with the one in
    \system32\, but you can only do so when Windows
    isn’t running, so…
   
11. Copy it using the “Recovery Console”:
 a) Insert the Windows CD and restart.
 b) When setup begins, choose the “Repair or Recover”
    option by pressing “R”.
 c) Once at the command prompt, enter:
     copy C:\COMDLG32.DLL C:\WINDOWS\system32\COMDLG32.DLL
    and again:
     copy C:\COMDLG32.DLL C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache\COMDLG32.DLL

12. Restart and test it out!

13. Save a copy of your modified COMDLG32.DLL in case you
    need to replace it again. I keep two backups:
     COMDLG32.DLL_SP3_Original.bak
     COMDLG32.DLL_SP3_Modified.bak